Oregon State University - Beaver Yearbook (Corvallis, OR)

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George W. Peavy is the namesake for a few OSU facilities. Peavy led Oregon State Agricultural College from 1934 to 1940. President John Byrne milks a cow during Ag Day’s in 1990. Byrne began his presidency in 1984. Keilh Rude OSU Archives PI :I William A. Finley was the first president of Corvallis College. He was president from 1865 to 1872. President August LcRoy Strand was President from 1942 to 1961. OSU Archives PI :59 OSU Archives PI .81 22 P RESIDENTS 1894 1994

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OSU Archives photo ft 967 The late 1920's even saw the popularity of theatrics. These students powder and pluck their fellow student's faces. A 1927 Art class sketches under the close supervision of their instructor. Some OAC women participate in an OSU Archives photo U 491 experiment in Coeds in Mechanics. Some women in 1918 fought the stereotypical image that insisted mechanics were men. A student of Mechanical Engineering observes the settings of a machine. In 1907. Mechanical Engineering was the first professional degree granted by OAC. • A C A D E M 1894 1994 I C S 21

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THE PRESIDENTS OSU Archives photo A prominent president surrounded by controversy One of OSU’s most prominent presidents was surrounded by controversy. William Jasper Kerr, the namesake of OSU’s library, was a confirmed polygamist. A devout Mormon, following the practices of the religion led him into two marriages, and perhaps a possible third. Newspaper articles and historical documents support the accusations. According to a Benton County newspaper in 1910, E.J. MacEwan an author and acquaintan.ee of Kerr claimed, “He (Kerr) had five children by wife number one, and two by the other one living in Logan. MacEwan added, “He was commonly reported to have a third wife in Ogden, whom he married, supposing her rich; finding to the contrary, abandoned her and she got a divorce on the grounds of non-support.” WAV. Hill, Professor of English at State University Reno, Nevada, also wrote to the same newspaper insisting on Kerr's Polygamy, in addition to his falsified credentials. Kerr claimed that he attended Cornell University, where he earned a doctorate degree. However, in 1910, David F. Hoy, Registrar of Cornell University demanded that Kerr was never awarded any degree from that institution. MacEwan wrote that Kerr was indeed granted a doctorate degree through the Mormon Church. His title was printed D. ScB., which signified the church degree. Kerr then began to drop the B. from the title thus leaving his degree a Doctorate of Science. Although Kerr faced severe accusations, he managed to serve the educational system for 50 years, m Traci Kctclwm • p R E S I D l; 1894 1994 William J. Kerr and some of his supporter stand for a photo. Kerr enjoyed documenting his presidency with many photos. S • 23